I'll Stand By You
by TheWolfWithinMe
Summary: When Kai suffers from a stroke, Kol discovers what it means to truly love someone. [Angst, Angst, Angst!] [MalaKol] [Cover Image not mine.]
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Pairings: Kol/Kai

Warnings: Angst?

* * *

Life was difficult. Being a vampire was difficult.

But nothing was as difficult as watching someone you love lose their will to live.

When his boyfriend, Malachai Parker, suffered a stroke from using a dark, forbidden type of magic, Kol discovered what real pain was. Seeing his once lively, cocky-ass boyfriend turn into an un-moving mess broke his heart every day. His siblings had told him to run, to put Kai 'out of his misery' as Klaus so nicely put it, but he couldn't. He had found the former witch on a bender one night, both of them miserable as Hell and drinking to forget their lives. The Original had decided to take the younger male under his wing and showed him that there was more to life than power and revenge.

It took four years to get Kai back on track, and in that time they both went through Hell and back. Kol had lost count of the amount of times he would have to stay up at night, cradling the broken witch against his chest after he had yet another nightmare. But he did it every time without complaint, because for him, Kai was worth it. He was worth the struggle back then, and he was worth the pain and heartbreak now.

Clicking open the front door, Kol slipped inside the apartment he shared with his lover. He had willingly given up the mansion they both owned for something smaller, wanting to be close to his little sociopath at all times. Even with vampire speed, Kol was terrified he would be too late one day and something would happen to the most important person in his life.

Shaking the depressing thoughts out of his head, he stepped into the living room, dropping his keys onto the coffee table before turning to eye his boyfriend. Kai spent most of his time in one armchair, his _favourite_ chair, and he was here now, his eyes slightly glazed over.

Putting the extra large bag of pork rinds down next to his car keys, Kol knelt down in front of the witch, his lips pulling into a soft smile. Kai was paralyzed down his left side since the incident and Kol could see the frustration and helplessness in his eyes every time he looked at them.

'Hey, Princess...' He said quietly, lifting up Kai's good hand and placing it on his head. He knew that his boyfriend liked his hair, and that even now it still comforted him. Keeping his hand on the witch's, he gently stroked Kai's fingers through the shaggy strands. The Original left his hair long for this specific reason, just wanting to make his boyfriend happy in any way that he could, and he could have sworn he saw a flicker of a smile on Kai's lips. Or rather, a half smile.

'I got you some pork rinds... The BBQ'd flavored ones that you like so much.' Blindly reaching behind him, he grabbed up the bag and placed them in the witch's lap. 'I still don't have a cure yet though. Sorry, darling.'

When he wasn't with Kai or buying food for them both, Kol was out and about in New Orleans, looking for witches who could help him undo what Kai did to himself. So far, he had had zero luck, though he purposely kept the frustration off his face every time he saw his boyfriend, not wanting to concern or upset him. And he knew he would find an answer. Eventually.

'Do you want to take a bath? I could do with a bit of down time with my favorite man.' That _definitely_ got a reaction out of the witch and Kol felt himself smiling properly for once. Smiling was rare for him these days. Every time he got out of Kai's sight, he would break down and cry. Cry that his vampirism couldn't help him, cry that he was useless again, and cry that their lives were now like this. But mostly, he would cry that it had happened to Kai and not himself.

'I'll take that as a yes.' He said with a fond grin, standing up and burying his face into his boyfriend's hair. 'I love you so much...' He murmured, his eyes closing as he simply enjoyed the moment. Small things like this were the only things Kol had left in his life and he learned to appreciate each and every one of them, never knowing when they could end.

He heard Kai grunt, and even though no words came out, Kol knew what he was trying to say. Pressing a kiss to the other man's head, he straightened up again, glad that the witch couldn't see the tears in his eyes. 'I know... I know you do.'

Reluctantly pulling away for real, he ruffled Kai's hair and padded quickly into the bathroom. Being a vampire had its advantages and compulsion was definitely one of them. Kol had compelled himself the biggest and most over the top bath tub that he could find, and he was proud of himself. This tub had different colored jets, different sized bubbles and a built in sound system. Music was one of the few things that could calm Kai down when he would get upset, and he liked nothing more than to lie in the tub with Kol and listen to different genres of music, ranging from rock to classical.

If it made Kai happy, Kol did it.

Turning on several taps at once, he watched as blue bubbly water soon filled up the tub, the scent of blueberries quickly wafting through the room. He nudged the jets on, making the bubbles spill over the edge, and then finally cut off the water when it was all perfect. Walking back out into the living room, he dimmed the lights in the entire apartment and lit a few candles here and there, his eyes on Kai at all times.

'And you thought I couldn't be romantic.' He said with a lighthearted grin in his boyfriend's direction. Dodging his way around the coffee table, he bent down and draped one of Kai's hands around his shoulders, slowly lifting the other guy into his arms. Kai leaned his head against Kol's shoulder and the Original found himself faltering, not wanting this small moment of intimacy to end. He pressed another soft kiss to the witch's head and slowly strolled back into the bathroom.

'You've put on weight.' He joked, trying to keep the mood light. It was a lie though, as Kai was slowly losing weight every day, something that scared the vampire more than anything else in his life. Some nights he would have to feed him vampire blood, just in case he didn't make it through to the morning.

He could suddenly feel his phone vibrating in his pocket, and as he set Kai down on the ledge of the bath tub, he fished the still buzzing device from his pocket.

' _Hey Kol, I might have found a lead. Give me a call when you're free ~ Davina.'_

Blinking down at the message, the vampire struggled to keep the hopeful look off his face, and Kai soon noticed it. Nudging Kol with his good hand, he tilted his head towards the phone, a questioning look in his eyes.

'Davina might have found something.' Twisting the phone around so that the witch could see it, he broke into a wobbly grin. 'I'll call her first thing in the morning, okay? But first...' Setting his cell down on the sink, he turned back towards Kai, his fingers carefully gripping at the hem of his boyfriend's shirt. Slowly pulling it over his head, he threw it down onto the floor before removing the male's sweatpants and boxers.

When Kai was fully naked, Kol lifted him back into his arms and cautiously lowered him into the water, pausing every so often to check that it wasn't too hot. He could hear a soft sigh that didn't come from him and knew that it was the perfect temperature this time. Smiling tenderly, and with his eyes still glued to Kai's body, he hurriedly removed his own clothing, throwing it into a messy pile on the ground.

'Room for one more?' He asked, stepping into the tub himself and sitting down directly behind Kai. His arms wound around the witch's body and he gingerly pulled him against his chest, his chin resting on the other male's head.

'Princess... When you're back to your cocky, bouncy self... Will - will you marry me?'


End file.
